Signed up? Itchy feet? here's something til April 10th

Often before the course begins runners are itching to get on their training shoes and head out for a few miles.  If that is the case with you, please do make sure you have visited a specialist running shop before you buy any running shoes. They will be able to measure you and advise you on the types of shoes most suitable for your foot type. 

You are usually advised to get shoes fitted in the afternoon since that is when your feet are a little larger - but do arrive at least an hour before the shop closes, you may find there are other people also wanting to be fitted and there is a bit of a queue. In Southampton centre you can visit Sweatshop, and there are also specialist shops in Eastleigh and Chandlers Ford. 

During the course we usually have a presentation on running shoes from Alexandra Sports - who are based near the Mountbatten Centre in Portsmouth. Although it is a long way to go, they are particularly helpful in fitting and choosing shoes, and you may find a visit worthwhile. However, your club membership card will entitle you to 10% discount from most local running shops, so you may want to hold on a while.  

If it is more a case of getting a little fitter from a standing start, then just adding daily walking into your routine may be a helpful start. That could be as simple as an extra half hour at the start and finish of the day, or walking for a journey you might otherwise use the car or take the bus.  

As far as turning up on the first day in concerned, then comfortable sports shoes and loose clothing suitable for exercise should be enough to start with, plan on wearing a T Shirt with 3/4 length bottoms for exercise and having something warmer to wear before and afterwards. A big mistake with new runners is to go out in too many clothes. However if you are feeling self conscious, a baggy T shirt and light jogging bottoms can be enough - be warned that cotton can quickly become clammy and uncomfortable!  Think about key pockets, or something for carrying your phone if you feel that is necessary.  

One thing you might like to buy yourself a sports bra. John Lewis carry a good range, and are helpful in that you can get your bra fitted - which may be a good idea. Alternatively you can buy bras from sports shops or online, that is really a personal decision which you need to make. Some ladies who need larger sizes choose to wear two bras including a sports bra, it really depends on you working out what is best for your own circumstances.  

I think I have covered the basics here. You can find detailed information about the location, dates and enrolment in other posts. If you do have friends who are interested, or can advertise the event to others, please feel free to copy the basic information and circulate it electronically. 

looking forward to meeting you on April 10^th 

Su White, Southampton Running Sisters.

We will have to spend a bit of time on the first meeting on admin but we will also find time for a short gentle jog which will help you establish your personal targets for the course.

Please turn up in loose fitting clothing, suitable for a gentle jog
There is no need to buy special clothes or footwear at this stage, as long as you have some form of leisure/jogging/sports clothing and a pair of trainers

On the first day you can expect to:

* complete you registration and collect your membership card

* collect our information pack which contains course details and running advice

* get to know other beginners on our course

* have a chance to chat with existing running sisters 

* have time to think about your personal running targets

* take part in a Q&A session to answer any special questions you may have

* come with us for a short run

SRS Beginners Course Week 2 26th April

Meet at Bitterne Park Social Club
76 Manor Farm Road, Bitterne Park, SO18 1NQ

Monday 26th April 7.00 – 8.30pm.

Todays class will focus on stretching, and mobilisation. How to get yourself moving and do things to make sure that you help protect yourself from injury.

Our guest speaker is Jo Harvey who is a fitness instructor at the University of Southampton.

The session will begin with an introduction and overview of stretching and mobilisation. This will be followed by:

* a short warm up run in the park

* outside: demonstration and practice of basic stretches

* inside: paired stretches and PNF stretches

* Q&A




It is still possible for you to join the course, please turn up on the night with a completed application form and your payment as a cheque or cash (£30 or £25 for unwaged) see full details at the bottom of this page

remaining programme

Week 2a 5th May - Bank Holiday optional social run at 6.00pm

Week 3: 10th May Alexander Sports:

Running Styles, and shoes to match. Plus and overview of running clothing

Week 4: 17th May Michelle Sutcliffe:

Sport and Diet

Week 5: 24th May Emma Trickett, The Moving Body Clinic :

The role of sports massage

Week 5a 31st May - Bank Holiday optional social run at 6.00pm

Week 6: 7th June Sharon White:

Speed and Agility - mixed talk and practical session

Week 7: 14th June - Local WPC:

Running safely - a police perspective

Week 8: 21st June no speaker

Fun Run and Social Celebration

At the end of the course we welcome you to join us on our regular club runs.

Normally runs are scheduled for Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Check out the Southampton Running Sisters training blog for details.




Download poster and application form pdf or doc



location details

Beginners Course April 2010 Week 1 19th April

Meet at Bitterne Park Social Club
76 Manor Farm Road, Bitterne Park, SO18 1NQ

Monday 19th April 7.00 – 8.30pm.

We will have to spend a bit of time on the first meeting on admin but we will also find time for a short gentle jog which will help you establish your personal targets for the course.

Please turn up in loose fitting clothing, suitable for a gentle jog
There is no need to buy special clothes or footwear at this stage, as long as you have some form of leisure/jogging/sports clothing and a pair of trainers

On the first day you can expect to:

* complete you registration and collect your membership card

* collect our information pack which contains course details and running advice

* get to know other beginners on our course

* have a chance to chat with existing running sisters

* have time to think about your personal running targets

* take part in a Q&A session to answer any special questions you may have

* come with us for a short run



please try to send of an application form in good time for the first night, but if necessary turn up on the night with a completed application form and your payment as a cheque or cash (£30 or £25 for unwaged)


Download poster and application form pdf or doc



location details

SRS Beginners 2010 Week 1: 19th April 2010

We will be running our beginners course for eight weeks from Monday 19th April 7.00 – 8.30pm. This year we are meeting at Bitterne Park Social Club, 76 Manor Farm Road, Bitterne Park, SO18 1NQ

We will have to spend a bit of time on the first meeting on admin but we will also find time for a short gentle jog which will help you establish your personal targets for the course.

Please turn up in loose fitting clothing, suitable for a gentle jog
There is no need to buy special clothes or footwear at this stage, as long as you have some form of leisure/jogging/sports clothing and a pair of trainers

On the first day you can expect to:

* complete you registration and collect your membership card

* collect our information pack which contains course details and running advice

* get to know other beginners on our course

* have a chance to chat with existing running sisters

* have time to think about your personal running targets

* take part in a Q&A session to answer any special questions you may have

* come with us for a short run



please try to send of an application form in good time for the first night, but if necessary turn up on the night with a completed application form and your payment as a cheque or cash (£30 or £25 for unemployed or OAP)


Download poster and application form pdf or doc



location details

Bitterne Park Social Club, 
76 Manor Farm Rd, 
Bitterne Park,
SO18 1NQ

location details


The course sessions will not be held on bank holidays, and will run in total until 21st June 2010

Missed the course - what to do?

Q

Im very interested in your beginner's running course as I really can't run at all without getting severly out of breath, but would like to learn. I hear that your course has finished and was wondering if there will be another one??? I dont want to wait till next year, my enthusiasm may have run out!

Answer


Sorry we do not have another beginners class scheduled til next spring, however I do have a few suggestions which should help you get into running starting today :-)

If you are a non runner, its quite usual to find yourself out of breath after a little exercise, however a gentle progressive programme which introduces a mix of gentle jogging and walking can help you build up your stamina until you can run continuously without a break.

The secret is to ensure that you initially exercise alternate days three days a week with activities such as walking or fitness classes as optional extras on the other days ( the frequency and intensity depending on your base level of fitness)

Although we have finished our beginners course 'til next year, we do have some beginners who are taking things slowly but continues to run with us on a Monday
when for the next few weeks we are running at 18.15 for 45 minutes.

These sessions start outside the Cowherds on Southampton Common and run until late September 09, after that we will always run from the Cowherds on the first Monday of the Month, any beginners/returners have a known date when they can meet club members.

You can also come along and chat with the coaches before we go our for our regular club runs on a Wednesday leaving from Southampton Solent. Check out details on our Southampton Running Sisters web site

If you turned up at that time, you could introduce yourself to us, and see if you could include running with us one day a week with two sessions on your own each week.

You can look at our beginners blog for some information, that includes some schedules to get you running from a standing start. Check out our training blog to check out our current training programme venues

When you are more advanced you could follow a 16 week worldwide festival of races couch to 5k programme.

Hope this is helpful. My advice is that running three times a week for six to eight weeks will make a significant difference to your fitness level. We all have to run alone for some time, see how you progress and then talk to me or one of the other coaches again :-)

 

Beginning Running?

Welcome to Southampton Running Sisters Beginners Blog



We only do one beginners course per year, but if you are able to follow our basic running programme for a few weeks, you should get yourself up to a level where you can come along and join our regular club.

We have running groups at a range of speeds/levels, and there is usually a comfy group which you can join in. All we ask before you come along to one of our regular club nights (Wednesday see our web site) is that you are able to run/jog for about 40 minutes without a break. The programmes below, are designed to get you to that level, although you will need to make sure that you get your trainers on and head out for a run at least three times each week.

Running Schedules

Take a look at the different running schedules we have assembled. There are three to choose from selected from the tabs at the bottom.
A 5 minute jog/walk
A 5 minute run/jog
An 8 minute run/jog
Choose the one which best describes the comfortable limit of what you can manage
You can use this sort of programme to get yourself into running, or to prepare yourself for a competition like the race for life